Security is You(th) Hackathon – Official Rules

1. Eligibility

• Open to students, recent graduates, and early-career professionals (graduate programmes / probation period etc) in security-related fields (e.g., cybersecurity, risk management, criminology, intelligence studies). Must be based in the UK.

• Participants can register in teams of up to 5 people.

• Each participant must register in advance via the official sign-up form.

2. Team Formation & Participation

• Teams must be submitted and approved 1 month before the event.

• Mixed-discipline teams are encouraged.

• Participants are expected to actively contribute to their teams.

3. Competition Format

1️⃣ One Week Before the Event:

• Participants receive a broad security theme (e.g., "Cyber Resilience in Smart Cities") to guide their initial research.

• They are provided with recommended readings and resources to help frame their understanding of the topic.

2️⃣ Day 1 – Challenge Briefing (Online Webinar):

• Participants join a live online briefing where they receive a specific challenge within the theme (e.g., "Design a response plan for a cyber attack on public infrastructure").

• This session will provide essential context, rules, and expectations for the competition.

3️⃣ Challenge Submission Deadline (Next Morning – 9:00 AM):

• Teams must submit an abstract that includes:
  ✅ A brief summary of their approach
  ✅ A problem breakdown
  ✅ A detailed solution explanation
  ✅ Supporting materials (slides, diagrams, code, etc.)

4️⃣ Day 2 – Live Presentations & Judging:

• In the afternoon, teams will present their solutions to a panel of industry judges.

• The panel will evaluate submissions based on innovation, feasibility, technical execution, and presentation quality.

• Teams will be given real-world security challenges to solve within the allocated time.

• Each challenge will require a clear problem statement, proposed solution, and a short presentation/demo.

4. Judging Criteria

Submissions will be evaluated based on:
✅ Innovation & Creativity – How unique and forward-thinking is the solution?
✅ Feasibility – Can the solution be realistically implemented?
✅ Technical Execution – How well does the team apply security knowledge?
✅ Impact & Relevance – How effectively does the solution address the challenge?
✅ Presentation & Communication – How well is the idea articulated?

5. Submission Guidelines

• Teams must submit their final solutions by the deadline which is 9:00am day of presentation.

• Submissions should include a brief summary, problem breakdown, solution explanation, and supporting materials (slides, diagrams, code, etc.).

6. Prizes

• The top-performing team will receive vouchers  to complete ASIS certifications and other industry-related rewards.

• Additional prizes may be awarded - based on final participating team numbers.

• All participants will receive a certificate of participation.

7. Code of Conduct

• Respect & Collaboration – All participants must engage professionally and respectfully.

• Original Work – Teams must submit original work developed during the hackathon.

• No Plagiarism or Misconduct – Any form of cheating, plagiarism, or disruptive behaviour will result in disqualification.

• Decision Finality – Judges’ decisions are final and cannot be contested.

8. Post-Event Opportunities

• Winning solutions may be featured in industry publications and shared with ASIS UK members.

• Participants will have the opportunity to network with security professionals and potential employers.

9. Contact & Support

• If you have any questions or technical issues, reach out to securityisyouth@asis.org.uk.